Wire-stretcher.



E. R. WILLIVIER. WIRE STRETCYHERL APPLICATION FILED MAR- 30. 1911.

l fi64 fi5fl Patented Apr. 30', 1918.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY nnnrn R. wrnnivrnn, or HUIBBELL, MICHIGAN.

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Application filed March 30, 1917. Serial No. 158,643.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDDIE R. WILLMER, a citizen of the 'United States, residing at Hubbell, in the county of Houghton and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire- Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in Wire stretchers, and more articularly to a device of this character a apted for use in stretching single strands of fence wire, telephone wire, or the like.

An object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described which can be fitted upon the post to which the wire is to be stretched and secured, the main supporting structure being rigidly clamped to the post, and which has the stretching mechanism so arranged that the pulling strain is exerted from the far side of the post, or in other words the wire is stretched against and past the post.

A further object resides in providing means by which the main supporting structure can be clamped in place and secured upon a post and can be mounted to exert the pull upon the wire in the desired angular line from the post.

Yet another object is to provide means by which the wire is held in the stretched relation thus leaving the operator free to staple or fasten the wire or tie the same. at the ost.

p With the'above and other objects in view which will be in partdescribed and in part understood from the specification, drawings, and claims, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view in plan of the device fitted to apost and with parts illustrated in section to more clearly disclose the arrangement thereof;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view to better disclose the means for securing the wire in tension; and,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken at right angles to the disclosure in Fig. 2.

The main supporting member 1 is made substantially bow shaped to provide a jaw opening and the teeth are provided as indicated at 2, within the jaw. Hince bearings 3 are provided at one end of the jaw and a bearing extension 4k is disposedto extend beyond the hinge bearing 3, an extension 5 being provided at the opposite end of the jaw formation. A clamping aw 6 is mounted hingedly in the bearings 3 by means of a pin 7, and this aw has the teeth provided therein as indicated at 8. An extension 9 is provided 011 the free end of the jawmemher 6 and a slot-like opening 10 is: formed therethrough. The extension 5 has a screw threaded bore 11 therein, and a clamp bolt 12 is provided to be received through the slot-like opening 10 and then turned through the threaded bores 11, a head 13 being formed on the bolt to hold against pulling through the slotted opening 10 and a crank 1d being formed on this head 13 for more ready turning of the bolt by the operator.

By forming the main supporting member 1 so that the jaw thereof is reducedin the manner shown in Fig. 3, a clearance 12 is provided at one side and a stretching lever 15 is fulcrumed in a bearing 16 on the extension 4 so that the hook end 17 thereof is in line with the clearance space 12 of the supporting member 1, the handle 18 of the. stretching lever 15 being extended to give ample leverage passed the fulcrum.

Brackets l9 and 20 are provided on the supporting member 1 adjacent the hinge bearings 3 to extend laterally from the member 1 in a parallel relationand in line with the lever 15, and a ring 21 is mounted on the upper ends of these bracket members 19 and 20 by means of the pin 22. A dog member 23 is pivotally mounted on the pin 22 to swing between the bracket members 19 and 20, the dog being capable of entirely free swinging movement in one direction, movement thereofin the opposite direction being limited by the fact that the lower arm is slightly enlarged or widened out as indicated at 24. This widened out end 24: is made substantially hook-shaped and a spring 25 which is here illustrated as being of the leaf type, is secured at one end upon the supporting member 1 and at its free end bears againstthe hook-shaped end of the dog 23. A chain 26 which comprises the alternately placed short and long links 27 and 28 is provided with a wire gripping hook 29 at one end thereof and is strung through the ring 21 in such a manner that the hook end 17 of the stretching lever 15 can be fitted and engaged through one of thelarge links, and the Wire gripping hook 29 will be disposed on the opposite side of the bracket members 19 and 20. In this fitting of the parts, the dog 23 isso disposed that as the chain 26 is drawn through the ring 21 by. swinging movement of the lever 15, the chain Will ride over the dog through the same being displaced against the resilient pressure exerted by the spring 25 but as the strain is from the opposite end of the chain or upon the hook 29, the dog 23 will engage through the adjacent l ng link of the chain and will positively secure and hold the chain against being moved through the ring 21.

In the use of the device, the structure will be fitted withthe jaw portions embracing the post against which the wire is to be stretched and then by turning the shank handle13, the clamp bolt 12 will draw the clamping jaw 6 down to sink the teeth to bite into the post or to grip firmly against the post in case it should be metal, concrete, or like material. When the parts have been rigidly clamped upon the post the wire, which is here indicated at. 30, is caught in the hook 29 and the hooked end 17 of the lever 15 is engaged through one of the long links of the chain 26 after which pressure is exerted upon the handle 18 to move the lever around its fulcrum mounting on the extension 4, and the chain 26 will then be taken into stretch the wire. As the chain is drawn in through movement of the lever 15, it will ride over the dog 23 which will be displaced against the resilient force exerted thereupon by the spring 25 and immediately the straining force upon the lever 15 is relieved, the dog will be automatically moved into biting or binding engagement with the chain or will be caught through one of the long links and thus the chain will be positively locked against being drawn back. If the wirehas not been stretched sufiiciently tight the lever 15 can be caught into an other one of the long links of the chain andcan then be again swung to exert additional strain upon the chain and this action can be repeated until the wire has been tightened through the proper tension, it of course being understood that the dog 23 will act to positively hold the wire in tension and to prevent slacking thereof. When the proper tension of the Wire has been obtained, the lever 15 can be released and the Wire can be secured by the use of staples, by tying, or any other desired manner, after which the Wirewill be released from its engagement in the hook 29 and when the clamp bolt 12 has been loosened the supporting structure can be removedfrom the post and the structure carried to the next post to ames at this patent may be obtained for which or from which the wire is to be stretched.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a wire stretcher having parts thereof so constructed and arranged that the device may be fitted for use and rigidly locked upon posts of different sizes, that by providing the off-set 011 the supporting member and mounting the stretching and holding means on this off-set, the wire can be stretched against the post and can be fastened while held under tension, and that by making the handle 18 of the stretching greater length than the mechanism of hooked end, great leverage can be obtained in stretching the wire. Further, it will he noted that the locking jaw is so mounted and held that the stretching chain can move freely in that direction taken in the stretching of the wire, but the jaw will automatically act to lock and retain the chain against movement in a return direction which would permit loosening of the tension of the wire. The structure as described is equally well adapted for use in stretching fence wire, barb wire, telephone wire, and in many other uses.

While in the foregoing I have shown and described only one form of the structure it will be understood that the hook 2t) might be dispensed with and a wire clamp substituted therefor, that the form of the dog might be varied and that a number of changes and variations might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and, scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to be limited to the exact disclosure but only to such points as may be set forth in the claim.

I claimz- .A wire stretcher to be used in stretching wires to be secured upon a post including a supporting member having a jaw portion formed as a part thereof which jaw portion is reduced on'one side to provide a clearance, said supporting member having a bearing extension projecting away from the aw and in line with the clearance, a jaw member hingedly mounted in conjunction with the supporting member, means to tighten the parts to clamp upon the post, wire holding means carried bythe supporting member in line with the clearance and the bearing extension, and wire stretching means mounted on the bearing extension.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EDDIE R. WILLh IER.

lVitnesses CHAS. SAMULY, Jenn 0.. ommy.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 63 

